Our Research Has Real-World Impact

Complex energy systems allow modern society to function. The Webber Energy Group analyzes, models, and optimizes complex energy systems—such as electricity, hydrogen, and fuels, including their interactions—to assess trends and investigate novel pathways and combinations that allow for increased resource efficiency and societal benefit.

Energy, water, and food are vital resources for life and civilization. So critical, these resources often make the top three spots on lists of humanity’s greatest challenges. Beyond their individual importance and significance, they depend on one another. Water is required to extract, generate, refine, and transport energy, energy is needed to treat and convey water, and water and energy are necessary inputs for food production. The Webber Energy Group’s research analyzes these relationships from all directions and their implications for society.

A truly circular economy mimics more closely nature’s processes where nothing is truly wasted but rather serves as input for something new. The Webber Energy Group’s work on the circular economy analyzes the energetic, economic, and environmental tradeoffs associated with turning waste streams from environmental liabilities into valuable commodities. These waste streams include waste heat, wastewater, municipal solid waste, food waste, agricultural waste, carbon dioxide, and flared gas.

Policies have been implemented at each level of government based on our research and expertise.

The Research Symposium is typically held over two days in early January on the University of Texas at Austin campus.